To Folkston, GA

I took my good sweet time leaving the hotel this morning in the hopes that the rain would stop, but eventually I had to go out and get wet.  The rain kept right up all day long, without a single pause.

I stopped for lunch right across the border in St. George, Georgia, at a little place that was only accessible via a dirt road that had turned to an inch of mud.  The locals assured me that was nothing, that by tomorrow it would be about 3 inches deep, and cars would get stuck in it.  But the BBQ sandwich was worth the trouble.

My route took me right past the entrance to the Okeefenokee National Wildlife Area, but I didn't feel like stopping at its visitor center while soaked to the skin.  Maybe some other time!  The area around the Okeefenokee is all tree farms, miles and miles of pine trees in neat rows.  Like Wisconsin, only with palmettos.

There are campgrounds near the town of Folkston, but I didn't think I could find a dry spot, so I asked some convenience-store clerks where I could find a cheap motel.  They were so quick to answer that I asked if the place was OK, remembering the motel in LaPlace, LA where the doorknob had been shot off one of the rooms.  It turned out to be fine.  Of course the rain stopped shortly after I checked in, but that's the way it goes!

Reflections on Florida: I really enjoyed the Florida panhandle, with its forests and beaches and affordable state parks.  The main peninsula of the state was a little touristy for my taste.  The best advice I can give fellow travelers is to keep your eyes open for brochures and guides and coupon books that may be useful, because you can be sure that no two of them contain the same information, and you're unlikely to find all of them in the same place.  For example, there's a great booklet about all the state parks, and there's a free highway map of the state showing all public campgrounds, and there's another booklet showing private campgrounds, and there are at least three free books of coupons for hotels.

21.8 mi